Costume jewelry



Patented July 8, 1941 60 STUD/IE JEWELRY Adolph Better, New York, Beinad Novelty (30., 1110.,

'N. Y., assignor to New York, N. Y.

Application April 1 0, 1941 Serial No. 387. 817

Claims.

The present invention is concerned with linkages and, more particularly, with chains and bracelets in costume jewelry.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a flexible linkage which requires no intermediate, separate connectors between the links. Another object is to make the links of castings which not only gives the linkage the weight and solidity so much desired in costume jewelry, but renders the linkage better adapted to a multitude of shapes, as compared with the usual make of such articles from stampings. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a linkage which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and easy to assemble. A further object is to provide a linkage which readily lends itself to surface ornamentation, such as plating, painting, lacquering, enameling and the like, and to jewel setting. Other objects will become apparent from the specification which follows and from the drawing, in which Figure l is a plan top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an underside plan view of two of the links of the linkage shown in Figure l, the two links being connected. Figure 3 is a left hand side elevation ings do not give.

of one of the links of the same linkage. Figure 4 is a right hand side elevation of the same link. Figure 5 is a cross section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. 7

Referring to the figures in detail, I is a link of the linkage shown in Figure l. The link i has a flange 2 on one side at a right angle thereto and a recess 4 on the opposite side. The side in which the recess 4 is formed has lips 6 extending over the recess l. The flange 2 is provided with two prongs 3. Socket type frames 5 are provided at the ends of the links l. The links are made of castings, cylindrical in shape, the cylinders having cross sections of more than 180 degrees, whereby adjoining links form cusps i at their bottoms. The extension of the link surfaces beyond the semi-cylindrical portion permits adjoining links to roll upon one another within such extension, in which function assistance is provided by the play of the flanges 2 in the recesses 4. Obviously, a multitude of other shapes may be given to these castings. The prongs 3 are in the plane of the corresponding flange on either edge of the flange. The links have socket type frames at their ends for jewel setting. To connect the links all one has to do is to insert successive flanges into recesses of successive links and to bend the prongs 3 in opposite directions crosswise to the linkage over opposite edges of the recesses. When so bent, they are designated in the drawing by the numeral 3'.

It will be noted that the present linkage requires no intermediate, separate connectors between the links, thus simplifying the construction and assembly and reducing the cost of manufacture. The links are made of castings because this method of manufacture is necessitated by the extension of the link surfaces beyond their semi-cylindrical portions, and being made of castings, they give the much desired impression of weight and solidity which links made of stamp- Besides, as compared with stamped links, cast links offer a much wider range of variation in both, construction and shape, of the links. The limited freedom of adjoining links to roll upon one another endows the linkage with an amount of flexibility which would not be possible without this freedom. The links in the present invention readily lend themselves to surface treatment such as plating, painting, enameling and the like, as well as to jewel setting intermediate the end frames here shown for this purpose. The prongs 3 are sufliciently solid to render the linkage very strong against pull. There is no open space between the links which closely abut one another, entirely concealing the flanges 2. The linkage is flexible owing to the play of the prongs 3 within the recesses 4.

While I have illustrated the present invention by the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to this illustrated example and that many obvious variations thereof may be made by those familiar with the art without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention, as described and claimed.

I claim:

1. A cylindrical casting having a cross section of more than degrees for forming a link in a flexible linkage and having a flange on one side projecting at a right angle therefrom, a recess on the opposite side for receiving a similar flange of another link of said linkage, andlips on said opposite side extending over said. recess, said flange and said recess being equally spaced relatively to said sides, and a couple of prongs extending outwardly from said.- flange on opposite edges thereof.

2. A cylindrical casting having a cross section of more than 180 degrees for forming a link in a flexible linkage and having a frame at each end for setting a jewel therein, a flange on one side of said link projecting at a right angle therefrom intermediate said frames, a recess on the opposite side of said link also intermediate said frames for receiving a similar flange of another link of said linkage lips on said opposite side extending over said recess, and a couple of prongs extending from said flange.

3. A flexible linkage composed of a plurality of links made of cylindrical castings having cross sections of more than 180 degrees and flanges on one side projecting at right angles therefrom and recesses on the opposite sides, lips on said opposite sides extending over said recesses the flange of each link resting within the recess of the next adjoining link, and a couple of prongs on each flange bent in opposite directions crosswise to said linkage over opposite edges of said recesses.

4. A flexible linkage composed of a plurality of links made of cylindrical castings having cross sections of more than 180 degrees and provided with frames at their ends for setting jewels therein, flanges on one side of said castings projecting at right angles therefrom intermediate said frames, recesses on the opposite sides also intermediate said frames, lips on said opposite sides extending over said recesses, the flange of each casting resting within the recess of the next adjoining casting, and a couple of prongs on each flange bent in opposite directions crosswise to said linkage over opposite edges of said recesses.

5. The method of forming a flexible linkage of links made of cylindrical castings having cross sections of more than 180 degrees which consists in providing said castings with flanges on one side projecting at right angles therefrom and recesses on opposite sides spaced equally with said flanges relatively to said sides, and with lips on said opposite sides extending over said recesses providing said flanges with prongs at their opposite edges, inserting said flanges into the recesses of the next adjoining links, and bending said prongs in opposite directions crosswise to said linkage over the opposite edges of said recesses.

ADOLPH BETTER. 

